One of the London Bridge terrorists had been reported to the anti-terror hotline after expressing increasingly radical views and justifying terror attacks.

But, despite the concerns which were reported by a friend, the man from Barking in east London was never arrested.

The news comes after armed police raided addresses in Barking and East Ham in London, arresting several people.

Police activity outside a property on Barking Road in East Ham, east London, where there was a heavy police presence following Saturday night's terrorist incident at London Bridge (Image: Press Association)

One of the attackers lived in Barking, east London, and had recently hired the van the terrorists used. He even spoke to a neighbour about where he could get one.

A friend told the BBC Asian Network he had reported him to the anti-terror hotline after he began expressing increasingly radical views and justifying terror attacks, but the friend said he was never arrested.

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Residents at the Elizabeth Fry flats in King’s Road, Barking - where a number of arrests were made on Sunday - said they recognised the attacker from a photograph and said he was of middle-eastern or Pakistani origin, had children, and had lived in the area for a number of years.

One neighbour described how the man once advised him of the need to be a faithful Muslim.